Lionel Messi stands among the pantheon of the greatest players in history, and his remarkable net worth and earnings over the years reflect his unparalleled career success.
During almost two decades as a professional athlete, Messi has represented Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and now Inter Miami.
In their latest rankings released last year, Forbes positioned the Argentina international as the second highest-paid athlete globally behind only arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo, a testament to both players' on-field success.
Ronaldo was the top-ranked global superstar in 2023 with $136 million total earnings, compared to Messi's estimated $130 million.
Beyond the pitch, Messi has ventured into entrepreneurship with his own clothing line and boasts a career-long partnership with adidas.
Here, The Sporting News delves into the details of his wages, career earnings and the intricacies of his contract with Inter Miami.
MORE: Watch Lionel Messi with the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Lionel Messi net worth and earnings
According to Forbes' data, Messi raked in an astronomical $65 million in on-field earnings over the 2023 cycle, surpassing nearly every other soccer player worldwide.
His annual salary with Inter Miami alone stands at an impressive $20,446,667, as reported by AP. That translates to approximately $393,000 per week or $56,000 per day from his involvement with the Major League Soccer club.
Notably, those figures exclude any additional earnings from his signing bonus and equity in the team, which could potentially accumulate to a staggering $150 million over a span of 2.5 years, according to Sportico.
Additionally, his move to the US reportedly came with lucrative incentives from MLS partners adidas and Apple TV. As a result, his overall income is estimated to be in the region of $200 million.
His net worth is supposedly estimated to be around $600 million, according to Forbes.
MLS’ deal to bring Messi to Inter Miami is WILD 🤯 @brfootball
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 7, 2023
He could earn a share of Apple’s MLS Season Pass revenue AND get a cut of Adidas profits after his arrival
Wow.
(h/t @TheAthletic) pic.twitter.com/tIucmKrSXX
Lionel Messi wages and contract at Inter Miami
At the time Messi put pen to paper in Miami, details about the contract were not publicised. However, Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas shed light on the terms in an exclusive discussion with a select group of journalists.
Messi's contract is valid until the end of the 2025 MLS season, but there is the option to extend for a further year. Miami is set to compensate Messi in the range of $50-$60 million annually.
As reported by The Athletic and confirmed by Mas, Apple and adidas, possibly joined by Fanatics, are contributing additional perks to the deal.
Apple is offering a share of the revenue from MLS Season Pass subscriptions. At the same time, adidas has apparently crafted a profit-sharing arrangement, entitling Messi to receive a portion of the profits resulting from his move.
